Albert's attack on Andrea had placed him on a different footing, and he hoped this visit had another cause than that he had at first supposed.
"Indeed, sir," said he to Albert, "if you are come to quarrel with this gentleman, because I have preferred him to you, I shall resign the case to the procureur du roi."
"You mistake, sir," said Morcerf, with a gloomy smile; "I am not alluding in the least to a marriage, and I only addressed myself to M. Cavalcanti because he appeared disposed to interfere between us. In one respect you are right, for I am ready to quarrel with every one to-day; but you have the first claim, M. Danglars."
"Sir," replied Danglars, pale with anger and fear, "I warn you, when I have the misfortune to meet with a mad dog, I kill it; and far from thinking myself guilty of a crime, I believe I do society a kindness. Now, if you are mad, and try to bite me, I will kill you without pity. Is it my fault that your father has dishonored himself?"
"Yes; miserable wretch!" cried Morcerf, "it is your fault."
Danglars retreated a few steps. "My fault!" said he; "you must be mad! What do I know of the Grecian history? Have I traveled in that country? Did I advise your father to sell the Castle of Janina―to betray"
"Silence!" said Albert, with a thundering voice. "No; it is not you who have directly made this exposure and brought this sorrow on us, but you have hypocritically provoked it."
"I?"
"Yes; you! How came it known?"
"I suppose you read it in the paper in the account from Janina."
"Who wrote to Janina?"
"To Janina?"
"Yes. Who wrote for particulars concerning my father?"
"I imagine any one may write to Janina."
"But one person only wrote!"
"One only?"
"Yes, and that was you."
"I, doubtless, wrote. It appears to me that when about to marry your daughter to a young man, it is right to make some inquiries respecting his family; it is not only a right but a duty."
"You wrote, sir, knowing what answer you would receive."
"I, indeed! I assure you," cried Danglars, with a confidence and security proceeding less from fear than from the interest he really felt for the unhappy young man, "I solemnly declare to you, that I should never have thought of writing to Janina, had I known anything of Ali Pacha's misfortunes."
